The COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (“IATF”) provided guidelines on the conduct of activities in areas covered by the Enhanced Community Quarantine (“ECQ”) and those areas under General Community Quarantine (“GCQ”). This alert summarizes the guidelines. This alert also summarizes regulations imposed by the Department of Labor and Employment’s workplace guidelines to control COVID-19.

Guidelines for Areas under the Enhanced Community Quarantine

Areas placed under ECQ shall observe the following:

  • Comply with minimum public health standards (based on the Department of Health (DOH) guidelines, and other sector-relevant guidelines)
  • Strict home quarantine – movement of people outside their homes shall be limited to (a) buying/accessing essential goods and services, and (b) for work in offices or industries permitted by the government. Vulnerable persons (i.e., those below 21 years old, senior citizens, pregnant, and with pre-existing health conditions) must remain at home at all times, unless indispensable to leave the house to do (a) or (b) above.
  • Mass gatherings, exceeding 10 persons/attendees, are prohibited.
  • Physical classes at all levels are suspended.
  • Public transportation is suspended. Exception: private shuttle services for employees of permitted establishments, as well as government point-to-point transport services.
  • Hotels are not allowed to operate. Exception: basic lodging to existing booking for foreigners as of May 1, 2020, existing long-term bookings, distressed or repatriated OFWs, stranded foreigners, those under quarantine, and healthcare workers.
  • The following are allowed to operate with a skeleton workforce, unless otherwise indicated (“Permitted Establishments”):
    1. Government agencies and instrumentalities;
    2. Foreign diplomatic offices/mission and international organizations accredited, and subject to guidelines issued, by the Department of Foreign Affairs;
    3. Industries involved in agriculture, forestry, and fishery and such other components of the food value chain, at full operational capacity;
    4. Private establishments involved in the provision of essential goods and services, and activities related to food and medicine production (i.e. public markets, supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, laundry shops, food preparation establishments for take-outs and delivery services, water-refilling stations, hospitals, medical, dental, and optometry clinics, pharmacies, and drug stores);
    5. Manufacturing and processing plants of basic food products, medicine and vitamins, medical supplies, devices and equipment, and essential products (Maximum 50% workforce operation, unless DTI approves otherwise; full operational capacity for manufacturers of medicines, medical supplies, devices and equipment);
    6. Delivery services (in-house or outsourced) transporting food, medicine, or other essential goods, delivering clothing, accessories, hardware, housewares, school and office supplies, pet food, and other veterinary products;
    7. Banks, money transfer services, microfinance institutions, except pawnshops not performing money transfer, and credit cooperatives, including their armored vehicle services;
    8. Government agencies and self-regulatory organizations or entities regulating or otherwise involved in capital markets;
    9. Power, energy, water, information technology and telecommunications supplies and facilities, including waste disposal services, as well as property management and building utility services;
    10. Energy companies, and third-party contractors and service providers, involved in electric transmission and distribution, electric power plant and line maintenance, electricity market and retail suppliers, and those involved in the exploration, operations, trading and delivery of fuel used to produce electricity.
    11. Telecommunications companies, internet service providers, cable television providers, including third-party contractors or employees providing support indirect or support services, performing sales, installation, maintenance and repair works;
    12. BPOs and export-oriented business, with work-from-home, on-site or near-site accommodation, or point-to-point shuttling arrangements;
    13. Airline and aircraft maintenance employee, including pilots and crew, and ship captains and crew.
    14. Media establishments (maximum operational workforce capacity of 50%);
    15. Construction workers accredited by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to work on facilities identified for purpose of quarantine and isolation, and health sector facilities, emergency works, flood control, and other disaster risk reduction and rehabilitation works;
    16. Manufacturing companies and suppliers of equipment or products necessary to perform construction works;
    17. Workers accredited by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to work on utility relocation works, and specific limited works across 13 railway projects including works from MRT Line 3;
    18. Employees of the Philippine Postal Corporation at a capacity necessary to maintain prompt delivery of services;
    19. Philippine Statistics Authority, at a capacity necessary to conduct data gather and survey activities related to covid-19 and the implementation of the national ID system;
    20. Funeral and embalming services, provided that employees are provided shuttling services and/or housing accommodations by employers;
    21. Humanitarian assistance personnel from civil society organizations, non-government organizations, and UN-Humanitarian Country Teams, as well as individuals performing relief operations, provided that they are authorized by the appropriate government agency or LGU;
    22. Religious ministers for the conduct of necrological or funeral rights. Immediate family members of the deceased from causes other than Covid-19 are allowed to attend the wake or interment of the deceased;
    23. Veterinary clinics; and
    24. Security personnel

Co-Equal Branches

The independent right and authority of the legislature, judiciary, Office of the Ombudsman, and constitutional commissions, to operate and accredit their skeleton workforces, or implement alternative work arrangements, is recognized.

Accreditation of Permitted Establishments

  • Regulatory agencies having jurisdiction over the Permitted Establishments are tasked to issue official IATF accreditation identification cards (“IATF IDs”) to employees of such Permitted Establishments. RapidPass system shall be complementary to the IATF IDs, which shall be honored at quarantine checkpoints. Permitted Establishments and their employees may enroll for RapidPass IDs.
  • Cargo vehicles, and vehicles of public utility companies, BPOs, and export-oriented establishments shall not be subject to an ID system.

Guidelines for Areas under General Community Quarantine

Areas placed under GCQ shall observe the following:

  • Comply with minimum public health standards (based on the DOH guidelines, and other sector-relevant guidelines)
  • Movement of all persons in areas placed under GCQ is limited to (a) accessing essential goods and services and (b) for work in the offices or industries permitted to operate. Strict home quarantine or vulnerable persons unless indispensable to leave the house to do (a) or (b) above.
  • Work in government offices may be at full operational capacity, subject to regulations by the Civil Service Commission.
  • Physical classes shall be suspended.
  • Limited operations in malls and shopping centers shall be allowed. Leisure establishments and services shall be closed.
  • Essential public and private construction projects, shall be allowed to operate in accordance with DPWH guidelines Limited hotel operations similar to ECQ
  • Mass gatherings are prohibited. Essential work gatherings and religious activities allowed provided strict social distancing and the mandatory wearing of face mask is maintained.
  • Road, rail, maritime, and aviation sectors shall operate at a reduced capacity in accordance with the guidelines issued by the DOTr.
  • The following sectors are allowed to operate:
    1. Category I Industries— Full Operational Capacity: Agriculture, fishery, and forestry industries, food manufacturing and food supply chain businesses, including food retail establishments such as supermarkets, grocery stores, and food preparation establishments insofar as take-out and delivery services, food delivery services, health-related establishments, the logistics sector, information technology and telecommunication companies, the media.
    2. Category II Industries—50% up to Full Operational Capacity: mining and other manufacturing, export-oriented, and electronic commerce companies, as well as other delivery, repair, and maintenance, and housing and office services.
    3. Category III Industries— Up to 50% Operational Capacity: Financial services, BPOs, legal and accounting, and auditing services, professional, scientific, technical, and other non-leisure services, and other non-leisure wholesale and retail establishments, and without prejudice to alternative work arrangements.
  • Amusement, gaming, and fitness establishments, as well as those in the kids and tourism industries, and all Category IV industries may not operate. Category IV industries are yet to be enumerated by the DTI in a separate issuance.

General Provisions and Guidelines for Interzonal Movement

General Provisions

  • Local government units are enjoined to enact ordinances to enforce curfew for non-workers in jurisdictions placed under GCQ.
  • Residential rents and commercial rents falling due within the ECQ or GCQ upon residential lessees and micro-, small, medium enterprises (MSMEs) not permitted to operate, a grace period of 30 days from the last due date or until the quarantine is lifted shall be observed, whichever is longer, without incurring interests, penalties, fees, or other charges.
  • All persons are mandated to wear face masks, face shields, handkerchiefs, or such other protective equipment whenever they go out of their residences.
  • Supermarkets, public and private wet markets, grocery stores, and other retail establishments engaged in the business of selling essential goods are strongly encouraged to extend operating hours to a maximum of twelve (12) hours.
  • Acts of discrimination against healthcare workers, OFWs, covid-19 cases, whether confirmed, recovered or undergoing treatment, as well as suspect and probable cases, and persons under monitoring shall be dealt with criminally, civilly and/or administratively.

Guidelines for Interzonal Movement

  • Non-essential entry and exit of people to and from the ECQ zone is prohibited except: (1) health workers, (2) gov’t officials and frontliners, (3) those traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons, (4) persons transiting to the airport for travel abroad, (5) workers in permitted establishments and persons providing essential goods and services and public utilities, (6) essential skeleton workforce, (7) repatriated OFWs and non-OFWs returning to their residences, (8) other persons transported through the efforts of the national government
  • Movement of all types of cargoes within and across areas placed under ECQ or GCQ shall be unhampered. Only a maximum of 5 personnel may operate cargo and delivery vehicles by land.
  • OFWs, permanent residents of foreign jurisdictions, and stranded nationals may leave for abroad through any of the airports or seaports in areas placed under ECQ or GCQ without impediment. Departing passengers may be accompanied by 1 person.
  • Repatriated OFWs or returning non-OFWs who have been completed their 14-day facility based quarantine, or those who may be required to undergo a mandatory 14-day home quarantine shall be granted unhampered transit across zones en route to their final destination in the Philippines.

DTI and DOLE Guidelines on Workplace Prevention and Control of Covid-19

The Guidelines shall apply to all workplaces, employers, and workers in the private sector allowed to operate during the ECQ and GCQ.

Rules to Prevent or Reduce Transmission of COVID 19

  • Companies are enjoined to provide free medicines and vitamins, and provide referral for workers needing counseling.
  • Mandatory wearing of face masks at all times, except when eating or drinking. Employers shall provide the appropriate face masks to employees.
  • Employers and workers must submit the DTI-DOLE health symptom questionnaire daily to designated safety officer prior to entry to workplace.
  • Temperature checks shall be made prior to entering workplace. Persons with temperature of more than 37.5 C shall be isolated in an area identified by the company, and shall not be allowed to enter the work premises.
  • The company must establish disinfection process for frequently touched surfaces. Sanitizers shall be made available in corridors, conference areas, elevators, stairways, and areas where workers pass.
  • Workers shall always practice physical distancing of at least one (1) meter radius space between them.

Rules to Minimize Contact Risk

  • Alternative work arrangements must be implemented, such as working-hour shifts, work from home, where feasible and on rotation basis.
  • Prolonged face-to-face interaction between workers and clients are discouraged, and masks shall be worn at all times. Videoconferencing shall be used for lengthy discussions.
  • Work tables or work station layout must be designed to allow for unidirectional movement in aisles, corridors or walkways, and to maintain proper physical distancing.
  • Number of people in any enclosed space, such as elevator, a room, store or hall, shall be limited to ensure the 1-meter required physical distancing.

Rules to Reduce Risk of Infection

  • In case a worker is suspected as having COVID 19, such worker shall immediately proceed to an isolation area designated in the workplace. Company must establish protocols for transportation of suspect COVID 19 cases and for PCR testing.
  • Workplace shall be decontaminated with appropriate disinfectant, and work can only resume after 24 hours. Workers in contact with the suspect case shall be placed in 14-day home quarantine.

Duties of Employers

  • Employers shall provide (a) policies for prevention and control of COVID-19 in consultation with workers; (b) resources and materials to keep workers healthy and workplace safe;
  • Employers shall designate a safety officer to monitor COVID-19 prevention and control measures; enhance health insurance provision for workers; provide shuttle services, or near-site accommodation, where feasible.
  • Employers shall put up a COVID-19 hotline and call center for employees to report if symptomatic, and daily monitoring scheme of suspect employee condition.
  • Employers shall comply with DOH Memo No. 2020-0178 in workplaces where workers are evidently at risk of infection as in health-care and other frontline services.
  • Employers may test workers for covid-19 at their own cost. DOH protocols for testing must be followed.
  • Employers are encouraged to allow workers at least 60 years old, workers with pre-existing illnesses, and pregnant workers to work from home. There shall be no diminution in benefits.
  • Employers must provide DOLE through its Regional Office copy furnished the DOH, the monthly reporting of illness, diseases, and injuries utilizing the DOLE Work Accident/Illness Report Form.

Originally published on DFDL.